Special Memories of our International Hour of Prayer

On December 3, technology gave GNPI the wonderful opportunity to pray with colleagues in 10 different locations around the globe.

Our second annual International Hour of Prayer (IHOP) was highlighted by times of praise for the Lord’s divine intervention, requests for healing, and pleas for provision. There was imploring for protection, wisdom, guidance, and resources.

At the end of the hour, I wanted to close our time together, but my emotions unexpectedly caused a check in my spirit, a lump in my throat, and tears welled up in my eyes. In the upper right-hand corner of the television, showing our centers from around the world, was a small screenshot of Simmi Dhingra and her team in Chandigarh, India. In the background was a portrait of her deceased husband, our friend and regional director, Deepak. It was almost one year to the day of his passing on to glory.

The second screen shot in the corner of the screen showed Sergei, Olga, and Dasha Golovin. They are currently refugees from their own countrymen. Their home, teammates, and the GNPI office in Simferopol are technically in Russia now. They have moved to Kiev, Ukraine, as the fighting in that part of the world has resulted in Russia annexing their home in the Crimean Peninsula. The Golovins’ homeland is experiencing civil war, but their determination continues. As Sergei said, “We had one, three, and even 10 years of plans. Yet, God had different plans, and so we need to adjust to God’s plans!”

Yes, God’s plan for Deepak’s time to serve on this earth, where Sergei lives (for now), and how his team does ministry was different from how we thought it would go. However, both families and teams are moving forward by God’s grace. Their example and dedication can be said of each of the regional centers represented at the IHOP. Join me right now in thanking God for the beauty of his Church and the way he can bring us all together to talk with him.

In fact, if you’d like to do something special for our regional centers – I’d love it. Would you send a prayer for one of our nine regional centers and their work to gnpi@gnpi.org? That would be phenomenal, and I know it would lift their spirits.

Our IHOP gifted me with memories to thank God for and cherish. I eventually was able to close the hour of global prayer, but my heart is still talking to God about this sweet time.